


Hunting

by bunnysworld



Series: Bonded to magic [34]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Druids, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 22:50:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20881961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: A hunting trip goes wrong and Arthur has an accident.





	Hunting

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta'd.
> 
> Part of the Bonded to Magic series.

When he heard the hunting party come back, Merlin rushed to the door to greet them. He had expected them to happily laugh amongst each other as they usually did when they brought some game back, but something wasn't right. 

There were Matthew and Andrew, John and Willard...and at the end of their little entourage, Leon who was supporting Arthur.

"Arthur!"

Arthur looked up and tried to smile. "Hey Merlin."

Worriedly, Merlin ran towards them. "What happened?" There was blood trickling down the side of Arthur's face and Merlin paled. 

Before Arthur could finish his "Oh, it's nothing.", Leon threw him a look. "Let's just say that the deer charged at him and he took a little step backwards..."

"You fell?" 

"It wasn't deep."

The look on Leon's face told him otherwise and a cold fist clenched around his heart for a quick moment. Then Merlin sprang into action. 

"Get him to the house." He ran ahead to open the door and get everything out of the way.

Leon hauled Arthur onto the bed. His eyes were closed and he drew laboured breaths. 

"Let me..." Merlin ignored Leon, who was still around, obviously not knowing how to help but waiting for instructions. 

Merlin knelt next to the bed and carefully touched Arthur's chest and thigh with his hands. "This might feel a bit weird."

"What are you doing?" Arthur whispered.

"I'm trying to let my magic detect the damage."

"I'm just bruised."

Merlin closed his eyes and ignored Arthur's weak protest. He let his magic flow and tried to remember everything he ever learned about the human body. At least nothing seemed to be broken. Taking a deep breath, Merlin pulled back. 

"Did he hit his head hard?" He looked up at Leon. 

"Well, he tumbled down that slope, but..." The tall man shrugged. "I don't think so. At least not that I've seen."

Nodding, Merlin turned back to Arthur and carefully cleaned the blood off his face. "Do you have a headache?"

Arthur shook his head carefully and almost not noticeable. "Just..."

"Everything hurts?"

Arthur didn't answer and Merlin didn't like that at all. 

"Stay with me." He meant it. If Arthur hit his head, he mustn't fall asleep. "Leon, go to my mother. She'll know what to get from Mabel."

Leon seemed to be happy to be able to finally do something and hurried out. 

Merlin just continued to let his magic flow. If it detected any damage, it would take care of it, wouldn't it? 

"Here." Hunith came in and brought vials and dried herbs from Mabel. "How is he?"

Shrugging, Merlin looked up, but didn't say anything but took some leafs and put them on the cut on Arthur's eyebrow. 

Hunith handed him a vial and then turned to make a tea out of some of the herbs.

"Arthur." Merlin whispered. "You need to drink this. It'll help."

Arthur made a little noise and swallowed obediently when Merlin poured the liquid into his mouth. "Urgh."

"Mother makes a tea, it'll help, too and it'll wash the taste down." Merlin brushed some strands of hair off of Arthur's forehead. 

Hunith brought a mug over. "Watch out, it's still hot."

Carefully, Merlin made Arthur drink the tea when it had cooled down a bit and then went back to letting his magic do the work. He didn't notice that it had gotten dark and slowly, he felt exhausted. Arthur was more important now. He had sworn to protect him in their bonding ceremony and he had once again failed by not being there when he needed him. He had not only let his bonded down, but the gods and the kingdom. The king surely wouldn't like that he had allowed this to happen to his son. 

Merlin felt the tears forming in his eyes. This couldn't be it. He needed Arthur. What would he do if Arthur didn't recover? Life without him was unthinkable. Arthur needed to get well again. 

When his mother hung a blanket around his shoulders, Merlin looked up. 

"I...I can't lose him." 

She squeezed his shoulder but didn't say anything. They both knew that it didn't matter that Arthur still talked to them when they brought him back. His condition could get worse and they had lost men like this before. 

Sniffing, Merlin turned back to Arthur and asked the spirits to lend him their magic. It didn't matter that this would take its toll on him, he didn't care as long as Arthur would be fine. 

Merlin woke up when he felt fingers in his hair. Slowly, he blinked and when he raised his head, he saw Arthur looking at him. 

"You didn't have to sleep in front of the bed, you know."

"I...how are you feeling?" Merlin tried to scramble up, but his limbs didn't obey as he was stiff from sitting in an awkward position for so long. 

"Bruised."

"And your head?"

"Headache is gone."

Merlin reached for Arthur's hand and pressed it against his cheek for a moment before putting a little kiss on the fingers. He got up and poured more tea into Arthur's mug while thanking the gods for healing the man he loved.


End file.
